Will People Still Be Searching for Us on Google in Five Years?

By Michael Gross, Guest Contributor, Salvator Mundi Times. Analysis, 9 October 2026.

For years, we’ve been accustomed to thinking that online marketing begins and ends with Google. We build a website, invest in search engine optimization (SEO), run advertisements, and hope potential customers will find us among the search results.

But the way people search for information is changing rapidly. Today, people are already turning to ChatGPT and other artificial intelligence platforms, asking questions in natural language and receiving answers and recommendations without having to browse dozens of websites.

This shift raises an important question for every business owner: In a few years, will customers still search for us on Google, or will they simply ask their digital assistant to find the most suitable company for their needs?

What Will Change in the Coming Years?

1. From searching for keywords to searching for solutions

Customers will no longer type keywords. They will describe what they need, and AI will compare the options for them.

Instead of typing “jewelry store in Tokyo,” a customer might ask, “Find me a reliable company in Tokyo that specializes in natural diamonds, offers custom jewelry design, and has excellent customer reviews.” AI systems will be able to compare companies, analyze information from multiple sources, and present customers with options that match their specific needs.

2. Our websites will become information sources for AI systems

Your website becomes a source that AI reads: clear services, real people, evidence of expertise and genuine reviews.

In the past, our main objective was to convince search engines to rank our websites as highly as possible. In the future, we’ll also need to ensure that AI systems can understand who we are, what we specialize in, and why they should recommend us to potential customers. An attractive website alone won’t be enough. We’ll need high quality content, clear information about our services, evidence of professional expertise, and a trustworthy presence across the internet.

3. Fewer website visits, but potentially more qualified leads

Fewer visits, better visitors. Customers who arrive after an AI recommendation are already prepared to talk business.

When an AI system provides a direct answer, some users will no longer need to visit a website to obtain basic information. On the other hand, customers who reach us after comparing different options, understanding our services, and receiving a relevant recommendation may already be more prepared to make a business inquiry. The challenge will be to measure success based on the quality of leads and actual business opportunities, rather than simply counting website visitors.

How Should We Prepare Today?

First, build professional authority. Publish original articles, practical guides, case studies, and answers to questions customers actually ask. Show who stands behind the business and highlight their professional experience.

Second, optimize your website for AI powered search. Maintain a clear website structure, updated information, content accessible to search engines, and structured data describing your business and services.

There’s no reason to abandon traditional SEO. It remains an important foundation for visibility in AI powered search.

Third, strengthen your presence beyond your website. Customer reviews, professional publications, social media activity, and mentions on relevant websites can help customers and search systems discover your business and evaluate its credibility.

Finally, turn your website into a lead generation platform. Make it easy for customers to contact you, schedule appointments, or reach you through WhatsApp or LINE.

Track where your inquiries originate, regularly check how your business appears in relevant AI searches, and improve your online information accordingly.

My Final Thoughts

If a customer asks AI tomorrow to find the right company, will it even know that you exist?

Five years from now, potential customers may no longer begin their purchasing journey by visiting a website. Instead, they may start a conversation with an AI assistant that helps them decide which company to contact.

That’s why our most important investment today is building a credible, professional, and accessible digital presence that allows search systems to recognize our business and helps customers understand why they should choose to contact us.

The question every business owner should be asking today is: If a customer asks AI tomorrow to find the most suitable company for their needs, will it even know that we exist?

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About the Author

Michael Gross

Guest Contributor, Salvator Mundi Times

Michael brings over 35 years of experience building complex computing systems and real time executive decision support architectures for corporations around the world, long before any of it was called AI.